CHARLIE HADEN QUARTET WEST — Sophisticated Ladies (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Bassist extraordinaire Charlie Haden has always prized diversity in his music, whether reaching for the outer limits with Ornette Coleman a half-century ago, leading his own experimental Liberation Music Orchestra or, in 2008, celebrating his roots in what's now called Americana onRambling Boy, a Grammy-nominated album that featured contributions from Elvis Costello, Béla Fleck, and others. As they mark their 25th year together, Haden's Quartet West -- not so much a side trip at this point as a comfy base to occasionally return to -- offers up Sophisticated Ladies, a collection split between collaborations with superstar female vocalists and rich instrumentals, nearly all of it heavily orchestrated. The set expands upon the concept Haden first explored in 1999 on The Art of the Song, which utilized vocalists Shirley Horn and Bill Henderson on various film songs and standards. This time, with tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, pianist/arranger Alan Broadbent (both mainstays of the quartet), and drummer Rodney Green, Haden goes for a lush, all-embracing sound that suggests a warm, cozy mood that reflects a time -- which may or may not ever have existed -- when life was much less hectic. The recording largely pays tribute to the romantic balladry of the mid-20th century, and Haden's choices of both material and guest artists allow him to bring that concept to fruition gloriously. Diana Krall, leading the back-to-back "Goodbye" and "Wahoo," closes out the album: the first is a whispery take on the Gordon Jenkins number that served as Benny Goodman's theme song, and the latter an uptempo swinger written by Benny Harris. Norah Jones was a natural pick for a set that values classiness and sensuality, and her "Ill Wind," penned by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler and arranged by Haden, exudes a smoky nightclub ambience, Broadbent's piano lending a blues touch to Jones' soothing delivery. Cassandra Wilson is another inspired pick, and her interpretation of Johnny Mercer's "My Love and I," bathed in strings and elegance, is a highlight of the set. The album's other vocal performances -- by Melody Gardot, Renée Fleming, and Ruth Cameron -- are also memorable, but not to be overlooked are the non-vocal tracks. Hank Jones' bluesy "Angel Face" is simultaneously sweet and melancholy, while Steve Khun's fiery "Today I Am a Man" is the swingingest number here. And of course, Haden couldn't very well title his album Sophisticated Ladies without including Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," which matches Watts' bold saxophone licks to another luxuriant orchestration. Sophisticated Ladies does fall just short at times of mimicking a brand of saccharine faux-post-big-band jazz that flourished in the '50s and early '60s, but Haden and his team are too masterful to allow their tribute to lose its stylishness and, of course, its sophistication. Jeff Tamarkin
Tracklist :
1. If I'm Lucky - 5:40
Vocals [Vocal] – Melody Gardot
Written-By – Eddie De Lange, Josef Myrow
2. Sophisticated Lady - 4:29
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
3. Ill Wind - 4:25
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Vocals [Vocal] – Norah Jones
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
4. Today I Am A Man - 5:23
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Steve Khun
5. My Love And I - 4:14
Vocals - Cassandra Wilson
Written-By – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
6. Theme From 'Markham' - 4:40
Written-By – Stanley Wilson
7. Let's Call It A Day - 5:52
Vocals - Ruth Cameron
Written-By – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
8. Angel Face - 4:09
Written-By – Hank Jones
9. A Love Like This - 5:13
 Vocals - Renée Fleming
Written-By – Ned Washington, Victor Young
10. My Old Flame - 5:35
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
11. Goodbye - 5:49
 Vocals - Diana Krall
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
12. Wahoo - 4:53
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Bennie Harris
Credits
Arranged By [Quartet Arrangements By] – Charlie Haden
Arranged By [String Orchestra Arranged By], Conductor [String Orchestra Conducted By] – Alan Broadbent
Band – Charlie Haden Quartet West
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra Los Angeles, May 20th and 21st, 2010, Capitol Studios] – Marcy Vaj
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra New York, June 4th 2010, Avatar Studios] – Jill Dell'Abate
Double Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Rodney Green
Featuring – Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Renée Fleming, Ruth Cameron
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello – Elizabeth Wright, Jodi Burnett, Tim Loo
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello [Principal] – Steve Richards
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola – Margot Aldcroft, Robert Berg, Susanna Giordano
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola [Principal] – Karen Elaine
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin – Adriana Zoppo, Anatoly Fosinsky, Cameron Patrick, Eric Gorfain, Kevin Kumar, Kirsten Fife, Maria Newman, Marina Manukian, Michael Ferril, Pam Gates, Ruth Buegger Johnson*, Susan Chatman
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin [Principal] – Margaret Wooten
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin, Concertmaster – Marcy Vaj
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Cello – Diane Barere, Ellen Westerman, Jeanne Leblanc, Jerry Grossman
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Viola – Dov Scheindlin, Karen Dreyfus, Todd Low, Vincent Lionti
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin – Avril Brown, Cecelia Hobbs Gardner, Hae Young Ham, Jonathan Dinklage, Joyce Hammann, Karen Karlsrud, Katherine Fong, Katherine Livolsi*, Laura McGinniss, Narciso Figueroa, Una Tone, Yuilo Kamakari, Yuri Vodovoz
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin, Concertmaster – Elena Barere
Piano – Alan Broadbent
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts

ALPHONSE MOUZON — Early Spring (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Drummer Alphonse Mouzon covers a lot of ground on this set, ranging from poppish R&B to straight jazz. Two selections have soulful vocals; Mouzon takes a pair of occasionally self-indulgent selections as features for his many overdubbed instruments; and the four instrumental quartet numbers feature either Gary Meek or Ronnie Laws on soprano or (in two cases) the heated tenor of Ernie Watts (who is best on "Seven Steps to Heaven"). Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Early Spring 5:14
2. Alone In Paris 5:38
3. Come And Fly With Me 4:03
4. We Almost Made It 6:03
5. The Lady In Red 4:32
6. Seven Steps To Heaven 4:17
7. I Can Give You Love 6:31
8. Waterfall 4:02
Recorded at George Tobin Studio, North Hollywood, CA
Juniper Studio, Burbank, CA
Mastered at Future Disk Systems, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Credits :
Jeff Daniel / Piano, Synthesizer
Brandon Fields / Sax (Alto)
Welton Gite / Bass, Piano
Ronnie Laws / Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Gary Meek / Sax (Alto)
Alphonse Mouzon /  Drums, Multi Instruments, Percussion, Synthesizer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Jana Sorenson / Vocals (Background)
Ernie Watts / Sax (Tenor)

JOE SAMPLE — Rainbow Seeker (1978-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Back in 1978 when this set was recorded, fusion (the mixture of jazz improvisation with rock rhythms) was declining. Keyboardist Joe Sample, best-known for his work with the Crusaders, was in the process of being one of the founders of "contemporary jazz," an idiom that has since solidified into smooth jazz. Sample emphasized catchy melodies, light funk rhythms, appealing chord changes and a pop sensibility. For this accessible release, Sample is joined by the late legendary guitarist Billy Rogers, bassist Pops Popwell, his old Crusaders drummer Stix Hooper, a horn section and several guest guitarists. All eight tunes (which include "Fly with the Wings of Love" and "Islands in the Rain") are by the leader, who is heard throughout in melodic form, setting up a variety of light grooves that serve as superior background music. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

JOE SAMPLE — The Hunter (1983) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joe Sample returns to the smooth jazz style of his popular albums Rainbow Seeker, Carmel, and Voices in the Rain on 1983's The Hunter. The keyboardist fills up a studio with like-minded session musicians including trumpeter Tom Browne, horn players Chuck Findley, Jerry Hey, and Ernie Watts, guitarists Dean Parks, David Spinozza, and Phil Upchurch, bassists Abraham Laboriel and Marcus Miller, percussionist Paulinho Da Costa, and drummer Steve Gadd, and sets them loose on some rhythmic tracks with a rock/R&B feel. The beat is paramount, a constant augmented by funky, popping basslines, with guitar solos and horn charts overlaid. And, weaving in and out is Sample, on either acoustic or electric piano, finding room to solo extensively. The solos are more of the rock variety than what a conventional jazz fan would recognize, since they are anchored to the relentless beats. But Sample is one of the more accomplished players in smooth jazz, and his sidemen are able to support him and, when given the chance, match him in their playing. William Ruhlmann    Tracklist & Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE | LALO SCHIFRIN — Free Ride (1977-1993) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although Lalo Schifrin is justifiably praised for his soundtrack work, many jazz purists turn up their noses at his jazz dates, such as his '60s work with Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery. The things that make Schifrin an anathema to the diehards -- the huge orchestras, the pop and soul riffs, the general air of over the top theatricality -- are all over 1977's Free Ride, his reunion date with Dizzy Gillespie. (Schifrin had been Gillespie's arranger in the late '50s.) In fact, Free Ride is so painfully dated that it's transformed into cockeyed cool, just the sort of record ironic hipsters should listen to while they're reading the novelizations of '70s cop shows that they bought for a bundle off of eBay. Gillespie plays with his usual wit and panache, but most of the time, he sounds like a sideman on his own album; the real focus of Schifrin's arrangements is the funky wah-wah guitars and ARP synthesizer solos that take center stage on tracks like "Fire Dance" (which sounds exactly like it should be the theme for a Charlie's Angels spinoff) and the mellow disco of the closing "Last Stroke of Midnight." Occasionally, Gillespie gets to break out on his own album, with the lovely solo on "Love Poem for Donna" his particular standout. For what it is, Free Ride is really quite good (guests include Lee Ritenour and future star Ray Parker, Jr.), but it's very much a record of and for its time. Stewart Mason  Tracklist + Credits :

PHAROAH SANDERS - Love Will Find A Way (1978-2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pharoah Sanders album for the India Navigation label was known alternately as Pharoah or Harvest Time, sees his vision of the jazz group -- a sonic melange approximating nirvana -- beginning to drift into watery new age muzak. Obviously, the playing is excellent (especially Steve Neil on bass), but the 20-minute title track goes nowhere in its search for bluesy riffs, Sanders' vocal on "Love Will Find a Way" sounds quite out of place, and "Memories of Edith Johnson" is five minutes of a boringly repetitive organ line. Clearly, Pharoah Sanders was losing his way a full ten years after the death of John Coltrane. John Bush
Tracklist :
1    Love Will Find A Way 5:12
Composed By – Bedria Sanders
2    Pharomba
Arranged By – McKinley Jackson, Norman Connors
Music By – Pharoah Sanders
Music By [Vocal Colorings] – Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders
Percussion [Solo] – Kenny Nash
Vocals – Norman Connors
3    Love Is Here 4:43
Lyrics By – Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders
Music By – Pharoah Sanders
Vocals [Featured Vocalist] – Phyllis Hyman
4    Got To Give It Up 6:29
Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – McKinley Jackson
Composed By – Marvin Gaye
5    As You Are 5:08
Music By – Norman Connors, Paul Smith
Vocals [Featured Vocalist] – Phyllis Hyman
6    Answer Me My Love 6:42
Arranged By [Rhythms] – Paul Riser
Bass – Eddie Watson
Music By – Sigmon, Rauch, Winkler
7    Everything I Have Is Good 6:00
Lyrics By – Pam McDonald
Music By – Pharoah Sanders
Vocals [Featured Vocalist] – Norman Connors, Phyllis Hyman
Credits :
Arranged By [Rhythms] – McKinley Jackson (pistas: 1 to 5, 7)
Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Paul Riser (pistas: 1 to 3, 5 to 7)
Arranged By, Conductor – McKinley Jackson, Paul Riser
Backing Vocals – The Water Family
Bass – Alex Blake (pistas: 1, 3), Donny Beck (pistas: 1, 4, 5, 7)
Concertmaster [Strings] – Sidney Sharp
Congas, Bongos, Cymbal [Paiste Cymbals], Gong [Gongs], Percussion [Miscellaneous] – Kenneth Nash
Drums – James Gadson (pistas: 1, 4, 7), Lenny White (pistas: 2, 3), Raymond Pounds (pistas: 5, 7)
Electric Guitar – David T. Walker, Wah Wah Watson
French Horn – Sidney Muldrow, Vincent De Rosa
Keyboards – Hubert Eaves, Khalid Moss
Keyboards [Keyboard Solos] – Bobby Lyle
Reeds – Ernest Watts
Saxophone – Terry Harrington, William Green
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders
Timpani, Drums, Percussion, Gong [Gongs] – Norman Connors
Trombone – George Bohanon, Lew McCreary
Trumpet – Charles Findley, Oscar Brashear
Vocals – Phyllis Hyman

FLORA PURIM - That's What She Said (1977-2001) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Toward the close of her Milestone years, Flora Purim teamed up with producer/keyboardist George Duke -- and the imprint of Duke, then entering his funkified "Dukey Stick" period, is heavy enough to dominate the record. Very often, Duke uses his then rhythm section of bassist Byron Miller (alternating with Alphonso Johnson) and drummer Ndugu Chandler to give the grooves a definite '70s funk feel -- and percussionist Airto adapts his talents seamlessly to this way of life. Duke's electronic keyboard arsenal is all over the record, occasionally going gonzo on the Moog synthesizer, draping a then-still-fashionable ARP string synthesizer over the landscape, comping on the Rhodes electric piano or Yamaha electric grand. Joe Henderson turns up with a funk-bop tenor solo on the Brazilian/funk groove on "What Can I Say?" (what could he say?), part of a first-call L.A. studio horn section that includes trumpet Oscar Brashear, trombonist George Bohanon, and Ernie Watts on flute. And where does all of this instrumental activity leave Purim? Floating on top of the mix as usual, whether in a wordless vocalise, agile scatting with Duke's lead synth on the title track, or heavily accented English, sometimes in multiple overdubs. Nevertheless, the Brazilian feeling is not quite cancelled out by Duke's busy production hand -- and this Western Hemispheric amalgam would soon pave the way for groups like Azymuth. by Richard S. Ginell 
Tracklist :
1     Look into His Eyes 4:34
Drums – Leon Ndugu Chancler
Electric Bass – Byron Miller
Percussion – Airto
Vocals – Flora Purim
Written-By, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Moog], Soloist [Moog], Backing Vocals – George Duke
2     Juicy 4:32
Drums – Ndugu
Electric Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Moog] – George Duke
Percussion, Congas – Airto
Vocals, Gong – Flora Purim
Written-By – Duke
3     Hidden Within 5:09
Drums – Ndugu
Electric Bass – Byron Miller
Electric Piano [Yamaha Grand], Synthesizer [Moog], Soloist [Moog] – George Duke
Guitar – Jay Graydon
Guitar, Soloist – David T. Walker
Percussion, Congas – Airto
Vocals – Flora Purim
Written-By – Leon Ndugu Chancler
4     You on My Mind 3:32
Drums – Ndugu
Electric Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Percussion, Vocals – Airto
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Moog] – George Duke
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Flora Purim
Written-By – Airto Moreira
5     What Can I Say? 5:04
Drums – Ndugu
Electric Bass – Byron Miller
Electric Piano [Yamaha Grand, Rhodes], Arranged By [Horns], Conductor [Horns] – George Duke
Flute – Ernie Watts
Guitar – Jay Graydon
Percussion, Congas, Bongos – Airto
Soloist, Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trombone – George Bohanon
Trumpet – Oscar Brashear
Vocals – Flora Purim
Written-By – Duke
6     Love's the Way I Feel 'Bout Cha 4:45
Alphonso Johnson / Pat Walker
7     That's What She Said 3:53
Drums – Ndugu
Electric Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Arranged By [Horns], Conductor [Horns] – George Duke
Flute – Ernie Watts
Percussion, Congas, Bongos, Soloist [Bongos] – Airto
Synthesizer [Arp Odyssey], Soloist – Hugo Fattoruso
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trombone – George Bohanon
Trumpet – Oscar Brashear
Vocals – Flora Purim
Written-By – Duke
8     You Are My Heart 4:06
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler
Credits :
Accompanied By [With] – Airto, Alphonso Johnson, Byron Miller, Ernie Watts, George Bohanon, George Duke, Jay Graydon, Leon Ndugu Chancler, Oscar Brashear

CARMEN LUNDY - Self Portrait (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz singers have a great deal of difficulty in building a fresh repertoire because so many pop songs are not really transferable to creative music. Carmen Lundy solves the problem on this CD by writing six of her own songs, both lyrics and music. Her talents in that area are impressive and it would not be surprising if a few future standards came out of her repertoire. Lundy's memorable, deep voice, which has a wide range, can go very low (as heard on Jobim's "Triste") and on "Firefly" she overdubs a second part, making the performance sound like a male-female duet. A tasteful string section is used on some selections, but most songs utilize the core of a strong rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, John Clayton, or Nathan East on bass and drummer Ralph Penland) plus occasional guests Ernie Watts and Gary Herbig on reeds. Whether interpreting ballads, singing more heated pieces, or floating over a funky vamp, Carmen Lundy pays close attention to the lyrics and mood of each song but feels free to improvise spontaneously. This is one of her strongest recordings, with the high points including "Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most," "Firefly," "Forgive Me," and "My Ship." by Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 7:06
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf
2    Better Days 4:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
3    My Favorite Things 4:43
Lyrics By, Music By – Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rogers
4    Firefly 5:28
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
5    Forgive Me 6:27
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
6    These Things You Are To Me 5:27
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
7    Triste 4:08
Arranged By – John Clayton, Jr.
Lyrics By, Music By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
8    I Don't Want To Love Without You 5:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor
9    Old Friend 6:17
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
10    Here's To You 4:05
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
11    My Ship 4:19
Lyrics By, Music By – Ira Gershwin, Kurt Weil
12    'Round Midnight 5:57
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams, Thelonious Monk
Oboe – Earle Dumler
Credits :
Arranged By – Carmen Lundy (faixas: 2 to 4, 6, 8 to 11)
Bass – John Clayton Jr. (faixas: 1, 2, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)
Bass [String] – Buell Neidlinger, Margaret Storer, Norman Ludwin
Cello – Ernie Ehrhardt, Fred Seykora, Larry Corbett, Margaret Edmondson, Ray Kelley, Suzie Katayama
Clarinet – Gary Herbig (faixas: 7)
Concertmaster – Assa Drori
Contractor [String] – Jules Chaikin
Creative Director – Sam Gay
Drums – Ralph Penland (faixas: 1 to 11)
Electric Bass – Nathan East (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Flute – Gary Herbig (faixas: 3, 7)
Piano – Cedar Walton (faixas: 1 to 11)
Soprano Saxophone – Gary Herbig (faixas: 6)
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Viola – James Ross, Keiko Elegino, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Marilyn Baker
Violin – Assa Drori, Brian Leonard, Don Palmer, Elizabeth Wilson, Gordon Marron, Henry Ferber, Israel Baker, Jay Rosen, Joel Derouin, Marc Sazer, Mari Tsumura, Pip Clarke, Ruth Johnson, Shari Zippert
Vocals – Carmen Lundy

WILLIE BOBO - Tomorrow Is Here (1977-2012) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Willie Bobo's only LP for Blue Note came at a point well past the label's heyday, when crossover was its primary focus. Hence Tomorrow Is Here has a pronounced '70s R&B/funk feel, with synthesizers, envelope followers, electric pianos, guitars and occasional strings interwoven with Bobo's steady Latin congas, timbales and self-effacing vocals. But there are a few gems to be found here -- one in particular. The leadoff track "Suitcase Full Of Dreams" is a great, haunting, Latin-accented song about a journeyman musician's life on the road that should have become a standard but is now almost completely forgotten. Karma's Reggie Andrews sits in on keyboards to give the record its contemporary sound; the other participants are L.A. sessionmen. Bobo's engaging personality, the injected Latin element, and "Suitcase" are what makes this otherwise dated record come alive. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1    Suitcase Full of Dreams 3:48
Milo Adamo / Gene Goe
2    Funk De Mambo 3:17
Reggie Andrews / Joe Blocker / Curtis Robertson, Jr.
3    Keep On Walking 4:28
Gino Vannelli
4    Dreamin' 5:08
Bernard Ighner
5    Wacky Tobacky (The Race) 2:58
William Cosby / Larry Farrow / Stuart Gardner
6    Can't Stay Down Too Long 3:29
Reggie Andrews
7    Time After Time 3:16
Jule Styne
8    Kojak Theme 3:33
William Goldenberg
9    A Little Tear 4:53
Eumir Deodato
Credits :
Arranged By – Larry Farrow (faixas: 1, 3, 9), Reggie Andrews (faixas: 2, 6, 7), Willie Bobo (faixas: 1, 4, 5, 8)
Bass – David Troncoso, Dean Cortez, Jim Hughart
Drums – Carlos Vega, Gary Denton, James Gadson, Jeff Porcaro
Guitar – Craig McMullen, Curtis Robinson, Jr., Dennis Budimir, John Cadrecha, Sidney Muldrow
Keyboards – David Garfield, Larry Farrow, Reggie Andrews
Percussion – Victor Pantoja
Reeds – Gary Herbig
Saxophone – Ernie Watts, Ray Pizzi
Trombone – George Bohanon, Thurman Green
Trumpet – Gary Grant, Nolan Smith, Ron King
Vocals – Bernard Ighner, Sandi Erwin

ARTURO SANDOVAL - Dream Come True (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of trumpeter Arturo Sandoval's more restrained sessions but he cuts loose effectively in some spots. Accompanied by one of two orchestras arranged and conducted by Michel Legrand on most of the selections, Sandoval displays his warm tone and infuses songs such as "Little Sunflower," "Once Upon a Summertime" and "To Diz with Love" with lots of feeling; his duet with Legrand on Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" is touching. The ten-minute "Dahomey Dance" (which also has solos from tenor-saxophonist Ernie Watts and trombonist Bill Watrous) and a hyper "Giant Steps" are among the many highlights of this recommended disc. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Dahomey Dance 10:24
Bass – Brian Bromberg
Drums – Peter Erskine
Piano – Michel Legrand
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts
Trombone – Bill Watrous
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – John Coltrane
2    Once Upon A Summertime 5:16
Written-By – Michel Legrand
3    Giant Steps 3:30
Written-By – John Coltrane
4    Little Sunflower 6:08
Bass – Brian Bromberg
Drums – Peter Erskine
Flugelhorn – Arturo Sandoval
Keyboards – Otmaro Ruiz
Percussion – Carlos Gomez, Mitchell Sanchez
Piano – Michel Legrand
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts
Trombone – Bill Watrous
Written-By – Freddie Hubbard
5    Con Alma 2:28
Piano – Michel Legrand
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
6    Blue 93 4:23
Bass – Brian Bromberg
Drums – Aaron Serfaty
Percussion – Carlos Gomez, Mitchell Sanchez
Piano – Otmaro Ruiz
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – Arturo Sandoval
7    How Do You Keep The Music Playing 6:44
Written-By – Michel Legrand
8    Naima 6:12
Written-By – John Coltrane
9    Vida Real 4:14
Written-By – Arturo Castro
10    To Diz With Love 5:12
Written-By – Arturo Sandoval 

IIRO RANTALA | ERNIE WATTS | CHARENÉE WADE | ANGELIKA NIESCIER | DAN BERGLUND | ANTON EGER — Pannonica (2019) Serie : Jazz At Berlin Philharmonoc — IX | 24-48Hz FLAC (tracks), lossless

A tribute to the Jazz-Baroness
A single moment can change a life forever. That happened to the Jewish baroness and heiress Pannonica (Nica) de Koenigswarter (1913-1988), née Rothschild. On hearing Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight’ on a trip to New York at the beginning of the 1950s, she was so totally captivated by the music, she turned her back on her native Europe and on all the glamour of her previous existence, and became one of the great supporters of American jazz.
Siggi Loch experienced a similarly decisive moment in his life when, at the age of just 15, he heard a concert by Sidney Bechet and decided that his life from then on would be dedicated to jazz. This decision had a profound effect not just on him, but also on the way this music has developed in Europe, most notably in the years since he founded ACT in 1992.
So it was above all a feeling of affinity with Pannonica which inspired Siggi Loch to dedicate an entire evening to her in the “Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic” concert series which he has curated since 2012. The concert, on 6 February 2019, thirty years after her death, focused on pieces by the musicians whom the “Jazz Baroness” supported over many years with money, accommodation, advice and friendship, and who often dedicated compositions to her to express their gratitude: Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Bud Powell and Sonny Rollins.
Musicians from five countries took part in the concert: Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala, a habitual unifier of the traditional and the modern, was directing. Alongside Swedish bassist Dan Berglund and Norwegian-born drummer Anton Eger, he formed the musical foundation. In addition, there were three outstanding soloists: American saxophonist Ernie Watts, who shared the stage with Thelonious Monk back in the pianist’s lifetime, German saxophonist Angelika Niescier and New York singer Charenée Wade. Together they do not only demonstrate magnificently that a single moment can indeed transform an individual life story, but also that such occurrences have the power to shine beyond the confines of continents, cultures and epochs. ACT
Tracklist:
1. Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) 7:22
2. Boliviar Blues (Thelonious Monk) 10:16
3. Poor Butterfly (Raymond Hubbell & Sonny Rollins) 9:04
4. Nica’s Dream (Horace Silver) 10:17
5. Celia (Bud Powell) 4:34
6. Little Butterfly (Thelonious Monk / Jon Hendricks) 5:31
7. Get It Straight (Thelonious Monk / Sally Swisher) 7:22
Line Up
Iiro Rantala - Piano & Leader
Dan Berglund - Bass
Anton Eger - Drums
Angelika Niescier - Alto Saxophone
Ernie Watts - Tenor Saxophone
Charenée Wade - Vocals

ETHEL MERMAN - The Ethel Merman Disco Album [1979] A&M / LP / FLAC

The idea is, of course, absurd. By the end of the 1970s, everyone, it seemed, was adding a disco beat and trying to cash in on the current -- and temporary -- fad. But Ethel Merman? The seventy or so Broadway diva was 20 years past her last big success on the Great White Way and, you'd have thought, ready for retirement. Yet she agreed to sing some of her best-known songs in disco arrangements by the estimable Peter Matz (the man who, for example, helped Barbra Streisand put together her first albums). The result sounds pretty much like you'd expect. Matz creates fairly typical disco tracks, and Merman sings the way she always does, sounding like she has nothing to do with the background at all. Actually, she sounds good for a 70-year-old, but it doesn't matter. The record is really only good for a laugh, but there's just one joke. by William Ruhlmann
Tracklist
A1  There's No Business Like Show Business 5:45
Words By, Music By – Irving Berlin
A2  Everything's Coming Up Roses 6:26
Music By – Jule Styne
Words By – Stephen Sondheim
A3  I Get A Kick Out Of You 5:59
Words By, Music By – Cole Porter
B1  Something For The Boys 5:15
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Bobby Borelli, George Ferren, John Joyce, Jon Randazzo, Manny Slali, Steve Smith 
Words By, Music By – Cole Porter
B2   Some People 4:47
Music By – Jule Styne
Words By – Stephen Sondheim
B3  Alexander's Ragtime Band  4:24
Words By, Music By – Irving Berlin
B4  I Got Rhythm  5:04
Music By – I. Gershwin
Words By – G. Gershwin
Credits
Bass – Chuck Berghofer, Greg Lee
Contractor [Orchestral] – Joe Soldo
Directed By [Backing Vocals] – Marilyn Jackson, Stephanie Spruill
Drums – Steve Schaeffer
Guitar – Dennis Budimir, Michael Anthony, Mitch Holder
Keyboards – John Berkman, Peter Matz
Percussion – Garyno, Paulinho
Producer, Conductor, Arranged By, Liner Notes, Arranged By [Vocal And Orchestra Arrangements] –Peter Matz
Saxophone, Soloist – Bud Shank, Ernie Watts
Trumpet, Soloist – Warren Luening

ETHEL MERMAN - The Ethel Merman Disco Album

A&M Records 1979 / LP / FLAC/ scans

O Púbis da Rosa

JEAN-LUC PONTY - King Kong : Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa (1970) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Not just an album of interpretations, King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa was an active collaboration; Frank Zappa arranged all of the selections, played guitar on one, and contributed a new, nearly 20-minute orchestral composition for the occasion. Made in the wake of Ponty's appearance on Zappa's jazz-rock masterpiece Hot Rats, these 1969 recordings were significant developments in both musicians' careers. In terms of jazz-rock fusion, Zappa was one of the few musicians from the rock side of the equation who captured the complexity -- not just the feel -- of jazz, and this project was an indicator of his growing credibility as a composer. For Ponty's part, King Kong marked the first time he had recorded as a leader in a fusion-oriented milieu (though Zappa's brand of experimentalism didn't really foreshadow Ponty's own subsequent work). Of the repertoire, three of the six pieces had previously been recorded by the Mothers of Invention, and "Twenty Small Cigars" soon would be. Ponty writes a Zappa-esque theme on his lone original "How Would You Like to Have a Head Like That," where Zappa contributes a nasty guitar solo. The centerpiece, though, is obviously "Music for Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra," a new multi-sectioned composition that draws as much from modern classical music as jazz or rock. It's a showcase for Zappa's love of blurring genres and Ponty's versatility in handling everything from lovely, simple melodies to creepy dissonance, standard jazz improvisation to avant-garde, nearly free group passages. In the end, Zappa's personality comes through a little more clearly (his compositional style pretty much ensures it), but King Kong firmly established Ponty as a risk-taker and a strikingly original new voice for jazz violin. by Steve Huey   

Tracklist:

1. King Kong (4:54)

2. Idiot Bastard Son (4:00)

3. Twenty Small Cigars (5:35)

4. How Would You Like to Have a Head Like That (7:14)

5. Music for Electric Violin and Low Budget Orchestra (19:20)

6. America Drinks and Goes Home (2:39)

Total Time: 43:42

Personnel

    Jean-Luc Ponty – electric violin, baritone violectra

    Frank Zappa – guitar

    George Duke – piano, electric piano

    Ernie Watts – alto and tenor sax

    Ian Underwood – tenor sax

    Buell Neidlinger – bass

    Wilton Felder – Fender bass

    Gene Estes – vibraphone, percussion

    John Guerin – drums

    Art Tripp – drums

    Donald Christlieb – bassoon

    Gene Cipriano – oboe, English horn

    Vincent DeRosa – French horn, descant

    Arthur Maebe – French horn, tuben

    Jonathan Meyer – flute

    Harold Bemko – cello

    Milton Thomas – viola